Book fair at the Benaki

 

Book fair at the Benaki in Pireos.

My favourite museum in Athens. Always interesting exhibitions, and we saw two that we really liked on Saturday - there will be separate posts....

The entrance, looking out,

with a mosaic mural by Yannis Tsarouchis

the courtyard enclosed on all four sides

walking down the ramp after having seen our two exhibitions on the second floor

First stop, the café/restaurant, but there was something extra going on last Saturday

print making for children

demonstration

looking closer

example

 

getting stuck in

 

 

 

 

 

 

we then had a look at the shop

 

and then we went to the book fair, or bazaar as they are called here

lots of books, Benaki publications reduced by up to 60%

 

huge piles of books in the middle, and people were buying.

 

 

 



The sea

We decided to vary our almost daily walk by the sea, so we took the bus, got off at Edem

 

 

 



 

and started walking - the sea on our left, the tramline and main road on our right

 



 

 

 

looking back at the marina which is where we usually walk

 

 

 



there's something very appealing about palm trees by the sea, I think

 



 

 

 

bright sunshine,  everything was sparkling

Piraeus in the distance and whatever the weather, there are always people swimming

 

lots of little beaches like this one

 

 

 

 

fishing boats

 



 

 

Ken gazing at the sea

 

looking back again - all those masts!



 

 

 

 

 

Quite a few people fishing here and there

 



 

 

 

sunbathing

 

 



 

 

the chess players

 

looking closer 

 

 

again.

 

We eventually reached the marina in Flisvos, where the very rich people moor their boats 

 

 

 

 

This is more than just a marina - the promenade is very pleasant

 

full of cafes, bars and restaurants

 

 

 

 

and it's always a pleasure coming here.

 

 

 

 

Another visit to Eleni Vernadaki's shop

 

During our recent wander around Kolonaki we also visited ADC, Eleni Vernadaki's shop. Ever since I remember, the shop has been there even though I have to admit that when I was young I did not appreciate the power and appeal of her ceramics. The shop is 1/3 of its former size these days. Having reached 82 she does not produce as much work any more so a smaller shop suits her purposes. It's still a great pleasure to look and handle her pieces and I always look forward to the visit. 

 

 

 

 

 

A very small space, lots of pots

 

 



 

A jug

 

A stack of plates and bowls

 

 

  

 

same pile, different view

 



 

 

a bowl

same form, different combination of colours

 

an interesting tall, narrow vase

 



 

tall vase with rounded base, silver glaze

 

classic Vernadaki, white with a dash of black

 



 

 

same with the stripes - bowl with sphere inside

 

an overview

 



 

 

 

I like the flat forms, and so difficult to make!

 

 

 

 

 

Painting in the form of a bowl, to borrow Gordon Baldwin's phrase



a different kind of stripe

 

interesting shape

 

 



 

 

 

various bowls

 

 

 

 

this is on the floor, so it's quite large, as are most of her works



 

black and white square platter with two black and white spheres

 

 

 

*   *   *

 

 

 

Unusually, two pieces that are not her own work:

 

 



A ceramic roof tile painted by Yannis Tsarouchis

A piece by Yannis Gaitis.